


town square

by Chapexhort



Category: IT (1990), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst and Feels, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Domestic Violence, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Hurt No Comfort, Lightly Mentioned Eating Disorder, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Short Chapters, Violent Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22265965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chapexhort/pseuds/Chapexhort
Summary: [WIP]
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough/Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, The Losers Club/The Losers Club (IT)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	town square

Aureate lights wrapped themselves around the lush pine tree in the town square, also appropriately dressed for the Christmas season. Dozens of people crowded around the beautiful green to add their own ornament, only to droop the branches even further. The sharp scent wafted through the air, mixing with the hot chocolate being sold from the rickety old stand, and the hint of something festive Eddie Kaspbrak couldn't quite put his finger on.   
  
Eddie had finally gotten one year without his mother to see the lights. Every year he felt as though the lights were getting better, and this year it appeared that they had finally managed to replace the dying tree.   
His hands wrapped around the soft styrofoam of his " _Derry Christmas Celebration_ " cup, nearly rubbing off the barely stamped design. The cup was warm, and managed to work through his wool gloves, comforting him in the freezing cold. Eddie took a swallow, using the back of his hand to wipe the hot chocolate that covered his upper lip. About to take another sip, he was interrupted by the words of a fiery redhead he knew - Beverly Marsh.  
  
"Hey!" She called out, running towards him with her curls bouncing out of her winter hat. "Your mom finally let'cha out of the slammer?" Beverly placed a hand on his back, a beaming smile spreading across the width of her face.   
Eddie had known Beverly Marsh for as long as he could remember. Even in kindergarten, they were hanging upside down from the monkey bars, and Eddie would watch as Beverly tormented the other children relentlessly. The fact she was so tough was something he had always admired and envied in her. Beverly Marsh was something that Eddie only saw in movies - too beautiful for this world.  
  
He shrugged at her comment, trying to hide his smile beneath his scarf. "She was too sick to go this year, you know how it is-.." Trailing off, he gestured toward the tree, shining brighter now with the glass ornaments stacked on top of it. "When do you think that thing is gonna snap? There's only so much they can put on it, before it becomes a a hazard, fire or more."   
A couple years back, the town square had threatened to burst into flames after some of the dollar store Christmas lights had gone haywire. Mrs. Kaspbrak had never grabbed Eddie by the collar before that, but she dragged him all the way back home through the snow, and still managed to send him to the doctors the next day.  
  
Beverly took one look at the tree, leaning right and left to see the damage that had been done. "I'd give it an hour, tops." She snaked her hand around Eddie's hot chocolate, stealing a curt slurp before he could react. "These people just don't know when to stop, do they? It's like they want to ruin Christmas." Bev handed the cup back to Eddie, his top lip curling is disgust as he examined the ruby red lipstick covering the plastic top.   
"Yeah," he agreed, pulling the top of his scarf to scrub the pigment away. "I don't think anybody is really jolly this year."  
  
A nod from Beverly was all he needed for agreement, watching those who came to and from to stare at the magnificent display that was the Derry Town Christmas. People from Portland and sometimes Freeport would come just to see, though nobody who lived here really found it all that impressive.   
  
Staring up from his cup, Eddie's eyes locked on a familiar figure at the base of the Christmas tree, trying hard to place an ornament on a branch. He watched as the boy's hand fumbled with getting the hook in there just right, trying to turn it so the mosaic of the glass would be on display on just the perfect angle. Eddie stared at the multi-color aurora flashed in the youth's glasses, bouncing with every move he made. Dark, curly hair covered what was left of his face, but Eddie knew who he was.   
  
Richard Tozier was a 5'9, wide-eyed, rambunctious 11th grader if Eddie ever knew one. He was constantly in trouble for his raunchy jokes, passes at all the girls in their grade, and the pranks he played on the teachers he hated the most (one of which included ketchup packs under the pegs of a toilet seat.) Eddie never bothered with him, not wanting to get in trouble by association - but Beverly Marsh did. Her and Richie had been friends almost as long as her and Eddie had, but not quite.   
It was one of the things that rarely made Eddie jealous, to share his best friend with someone of the likes of Tozier. But, he kept his opinions to himself, as to not hurt Bev's feelings. She had quite a soft spot for Richie, and whenever Eddie ever asked why, she replied with   
" _He doesn't have anyone else. Have you ever met his parents? You'd understand if you did_."  
  
It was as if Eddie's thoughts of Richie triggered a series of events, because as Richie turned to leave, the lights happened to come with him. The string followed him as he tried to walk away, and as Richie seemed to noticed, it looked like he was too late. The sky-high green pine had decided it was time to turn in, and started to rock in it holster.  
Eddie took in a sharp breath through his teeth, throwing a hand up to cover his and Beverly's eyes, though she separated his two middle fingers to watch the scene unfold.   
The tree toppled down, the sharp sounds of ornaments smashing on the stone brick ground that covered the square. People started to gasp, some to scream, and children to cry. Richie himself seemed to tear up, overwhelmed by what had just happened.  
  
Beverly shook Eddie when it was okay to look, excusing herself to go help the mop of curly hair out of a pool of glass. Richie barely moved when Bev tried to help him up, trying frantically to ignore the eyes that he felt burning into his skin.   
"It's okay," Beverly repeated, over and over, until she was able to get him away from the crowd and out of the square.   
  
Eddie Kaspbrak took one deep breath, hoisted himself up from the wall he was sitting on, and walked home.   
This was the last Christmas he was going to by himself, he decided. 


End file.
